BUSINESS PEOPLE

Monday

Feb 25, 2013 at 12:03 AM

BUSINESS PEOPLESouthTech, an IT services firm that has delivered and supported infrastructure and business management solutions throughout Florida since 1994, added James Babiak to its team as a systems engineer.

With more than 13 years of experience in the IT industry, Babiak has a strong foundation in computer networking, Voice over Internet Protocol, information security and Linux administration. Before joining SouthTech, he was vice president of professional services at Star2Star Communications.

Good News Pest Solutions has hired Eric Williams as operations manager. Williams worked for eight years as director of operations at Sarasota Baptist Church. He was also technical manager at Comcast for eight years. Good News, formerly Macy's Termite & Pest Control, is based in Venice.

Dr. Anne Chauvet, of Critical Care & Veterinary Specialists of Sarasota LLC, lectured at an education program sponsored by Hyperbaric Veterinary Medicine in Jacksonville on using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a wide range of conditions, including more rapid healing of wounds from injuries or surgeries and for chronic conditions such as diabetic neuropathy and certain anemias.

The veterinary neurologist and neurosurgeon also worked with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine to educate practitioners about specialty veterinary medicine at the North American Veterinary Conference.

The Neuro Challenge Foundation elected Kathie Musto president of its board of directors. Musto, a volunteer for three years, served as the board's vice president in 2011-12. She is a registered nurse and senior account executive for Gentiva Home Health in Sarasota.

J.B. Baldwin joined the Sarasota office of Thomas D. Wood and Company as assistant vice president, commercial mortgage broker.

Baldwin comes to Thomas D. Wood, a commercial mortgage banking firm, from Florida Shores Bank, where he worked as a commercial loan officer. Before that, he had worked as a credit analyst since 2009.

Sam Cione, of Integrity Wealth Management, has been named one of the 2012 Five Star Wealth Managers in the Sarasota area. The award means Cione is in the upper echelon of local financial services professionals, tax advisers and estate planning attorneys. It is the third consecutive year Cione has won the award.

Five Star Wealth Managers are nominated by clients, peer advisers and industry experts. Nominees must then meet 10 eligibility and evaluation requirements.

Tanya Scotece, licensed funeral director at Farley Funeral Homes and Crematory, has completed the coursework and qualifying exams for her doctorate.

She is now a doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, in the doctoral program in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis in adult education. Her research has focused on funeral service.

Douglas Cherry, a partner in the Sarasota office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP, spoke at the Florida Institute of CPAs' 2013 Valuation, Forensic Accounting & Litigation Services Conference on Jan. 10 in Fort Lauderdale. His topic was "The New Digital Terrain and eDiscovery Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure: An Overview and Discussion."

Three new trustees have been added to the board of directors of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, in Sarasota. They are: Marvin Albert, George Kole and Lois Watson.

Albert retired from a business career in 2000 to become a full-time writer. He is known locally as a playwright.

Kole, a retired TWA executive, is a devoted WBTT sponsor and co-producer.

Watson, a retired librarian and technical education specialist, has a strong commitment to volunteerism.

WBTT has also added Margie Nellum Lee to its advisory board as co-chairwoman with Linda Knox. Lee was founder and executive director of a child welfare agency in Chicago and a district manager and area director for the Social Security Administration.

Williams Parker attorney Charles Bailey Jr. has been selected as a "2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use & Zoning" by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell. Bailey will be featured as a "Top Rated Lawyer" in the March issue of The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel magazine.

Janice Covert has returned to Kauffman Glass and Mirror Inc., of Sarasota. Covert has many years of experience in the glass, mirror, window, door and screens industry and is the company's resident expert for parts and service.